This is my second try at a multichapter story since people seemed to like the first one. I am a sucker for Hermione/any of the Black sisters pairings soo:) I hope you like this story.

These characters aren't mine and I don't intend to make money from this. Simply having fun.

Enjoy!

Hidden surprises

Hermione sighed as she quietly closed the front door of number twelve Grimmauld Place and leaned on it. It had been another exhausting day of trying to avoid reporters while trying to do something actually useful for the wizarding society. Most were easy to fool since they were young and looking for a good story to start with; but there were a few more seasoned ones including Rita Skeeter, much to Hermione's dismay. The blonde woman had apparently decided that the Battle of Hogwarts only a couple of months ago was a big enough problem to distract the Ministry from anything minor such as unregistered Animagi. Hermione had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that she was right.

The brunette shook her head and walked down the corridor, careful not to disturb the portrait of Walburga Black, and up the stairs towards her room. She was extremely grateful Harry had offered her to live with him. He was a great companion and a true friend giving her a shoulder to cry on when things with Ron hadn't worked out. Now that this was in the past too, Ron and Ginny came around often for dinner and occasionally spent the night. Things had turned out great for Ginny and Harry at least, so the topic of conversation was often when Ginny would move in with them ("You know very well Mum wouldn't let me live here yet, Ronald!"). When Hermione reached the second landing she walked through the door on the left and plopped down on the bed. She had a few hours to spare before dinner. Her and Harry had gone out together in the morning intending to go and sort out their vaults in Gringotts, then get some lunch and go to Diagon Alley to see George and Ron in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The reporters and fans of the Golden Trio had other ideas when they tried to corner them for stories and autographs. Hermione and Harry were forced to separate to get away from everyone and now all the young woman could do was sit there and hope he made it somewhere peaceful. Out of the three of them Harry deserved his rest most. He'd been fighting Voldemort since he was only a year old, all because the self-proclaimed Lord had decided he should live forever. Hermione hated everything connected to the war – from the fame to the nightmares that came every night.

Not wanting to dwell on negative thoughts Hermione stood up to do something she had been planning since last week when Ron pointed out there was a funny smell on the first floor of the house. She had quickly determined it was coming from Kreacher's den but had kept putting the task off, thinking of what horrible thing the house-Elf had left there to give off such a smell. Now, however, she had nothing to do and decided she might as well get it over with. Putting her hair up in a bun, Hermione took her wand and walked down the stairs to where Kreacher had used to live. She contemplated using a Bubble-Head Charm when the stench hit her but decided not to dally anymore. Opening the door of the den, she nearly screamed upon seeing a pile of dead rats on top of the rag the house-elf had used as a blanket. She banished them quickly and the rag as well, for good measure. Hermione was just about to leave when a glint in the corner of the den caught her eye. She turned to see what was glinting in the dark den and saw a ring. It looked silver, though Hermione couldn't tell for sure since it was extremely dirty. The only part that seemed to be untouched by the dust and dirt in the den seemed to be the stone. It was small and black in the form of a hexagon and Hermione could see her reflection on it like it had been polished only yesterday. The brunette thought for a moment then waved her wand and the ring disappeared. She stood up and walked out of the den locking it with a flick of her wand.

A few hours later Hermione heard the front door open and close then Harry burst into the kitchen and threw himself into the nearest chair.

"I swear to Merlin, these people" he muttered.

"You managed to get away now?" Hermione asked incredulously, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It's nearly nine, Harry."

"And it would have been eleven if I hadn't hidden in Knockturn Alley. The crowd didn't even think about setting foot there" Harry smiled, satisfied with himself. Hermione groaned.

"And there is a reason for this, Harry" she said, passing him a plate of mashed potatoes and lamb chops. "Don't you remember what Hagrid told you all those years ago? About no good person stepping foot in that place?"

"He might've mentioned it" the young man said absently, already busy with his food.

"There will be an article tomorrow, Harry, and you better be ready for it especially if Skeeter finds out where you went."

"She already knows, she was there" he said and regretted it instantly when Hermione shook her head and opened her mouth to lecture him further. "Hey, I can actually smell the food this time" he hurried to change the subject.

This made Hermione close her mouth and scrunch her nose in disgust.

"Dead rats."

"What?"

"Dead rats in Kreacher's den. I got rid of them."

"Well thanks for ruining my appetite" Harry pushed the plate away.

"You don't see me eating either, do you?"

Harry smiled apologetically.

"We should've cleaned it with the rest of the house."

"Yes, well it's done now, I removed the blanket too, it's empty."

"Kreacher didn't have anything hidden there?" Harry laughed. "Another pair of trousers of Orion's?"

"No," Hermione laughed with him, "nothing else."

Later, when she was up in her room, Hermione was looking at the ring on her desk and wondering why she hadn't told Harry about it. She shrugged it off quickly. When she had cleaned it with magic, she had seen the Black family crest on the back of the stone. Knowing the Black family and the effects of cursed rings she decided it was better not to worry Harry with it. They had brought enough cursed items to the Ministry when they moved in. The brunette levitated the piece of jewelry into a drawer and went to bed, thinking of the busy day she had ahead of her tomorrow.